Episode 89: University of Edinburgh Students on Waste, Behaviour & Change

Описание: In this episode of Rubbish Talk, Alasdair is joined by two University of Edinburgh postgraduate students, Cait Lawson and Riska Hasan, for a wide-ranging conversation about waste systems, behaviour change, and what the next generation of waste professionals sees coming next.

Cait, an MSc student in Ecological Economics, brings experience from waste research projects across the United States, where landfill remains the dominant disposal route and recycling varies dramatically by state and city. She reflects on how access, transport, and inequality shape recycling behaviour, and why data-driven research is essential if policy is going to translate into real-world change. Her work focuses on understanding how people respond to messaging, incentives, and visual cues — and why top-down systems often fail without community buy-in.

Riska, studying Global Environment, Politics and Society, offers a powerful global south perspective rooted in her work across Southeast Asia. She explains how waste management differs drastically across Indonesia’s thousands of islands, where open dumping, burning, and marine pollution remain daily realities in areas without formal collection systems. Despite this, she highlights the growing role of startups, NGOs, and community-led initiatives that are filling gaps left by government systems and driving behavioural change from the ground up.

Together, the conversation explores why behaviour change matters as much as infrastructure. Riska explains that emotional connection — not rules or fines — is often what shifts habits, pointing to images and stories that have successfully reduced single-use plastics in her region. Cait reinforces this by stressing the need for better data to understand what actually works, rather than assuming people will automatically engage with new systems.

Alasdair reflects on Scotland’s strengths — strong policy frameworks, food waste collections, and recycling infrastructure — but also its weaknesses, particularly low public participation and lack of consequences for poor waste behaviour. The discussion highlights a shared conclusion: systems alone don’t change outcomes; people do. Engagement, clarity, and responsibility are just as critical as bins, trucks, and legislation.

The episode closes with advice for anyone considering a career in waste and sustainability. Cait encourages listeners to take the leap, even if it feels daunting, while Riska reminds us that frustration is part of the job — but so is purpose. Their message is hopeful, grounded, and clear: the future of waste management depends on collaboration across borders, disciplines, and generations.

A big thank you to Jennifer Carfrae for helping set up this interview, and to Jane Bond for making the introduction. Jennifer is a previous Rubbish Talk guest from Episode 48 and leads the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy module delivered jointly by SRUC (Scotland’s Rural University College) and the University of Edinburgh.

Unfortunately, Jane was unable to join us on the day due to some technical issues — we could see her but sadly couldn’t hear her!